Poinsettia plant named ‘PER2009’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER2009’, characterized by its relatively compact, uniform, upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely and upright branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; mid-season flowering response; under natural season conditions, plants flower in late November in Southern California; large inflorescences with light orange-colored flower bracts covered with rose pink-colored random speckles and splotches; and good post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PER2009’.

CROSS REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Poinsettia Plant Named ‘PER2109’

Applicant: Dana J. Groot

Filed: Concurrently with this application having U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/694,961.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PER2009’.

The new Poinsettia plant originated is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘490’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,825. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘490’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. in December, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. since December, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PER2009’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PER2009’ as a new and distinct Poinsettia plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, uniform, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely and upright branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Mid-season flowering response; under natural season         conditions, plants flower in late November in Southern         California.     -   6. Large inflorescences with light orange-colored flower bracts         covered with rose pink-colored random speckles and splotches.     -   7. Good post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the parent, ‘490’, in flower bract color as plants of ‘490’ have dark red-colored flower bracts with no flecking. In addition, plants of the new Poinsettia are more compact than and not as vigorous as plants of ‘490’.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER2109’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/694,961. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘PER2109’ differ primarily in flower bract color.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can also be compared to plants of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘3-91’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,602. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘3-91’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more compact than and not         as vigorous as plants of ‘3-91’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Poinsettia were darker green in         color than leaves of plants of ‘3-91’.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about one week earlier         than plants of ‘3-91’ when grown under natural season         conditions.     -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘3-91’ differed in leaf and         flower bract shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER2009’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER2009’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following detailed description were grown during the late autumn/early winter in 16.5-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas, Calif. and under natural season conditions and cultural practices typical of commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., night temperatures averaged 17° C. and light levels ranged from 3,500 to 4,500 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time and were 18 weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER2009’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Euphorbia     pulcherrima Willd. ‘490’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,825. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one to two weeks at 20° C.             night temperature and 27° C. day temperature.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at             16° C. night temperature and 18° C. day temperature.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit and form.—Relatively compact, uniform, upright             and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle; large             inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane; moderately             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 31 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 48 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching             habit, about eight lateral branches develop after pinching.             Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm. Internode length:             About 1.7 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 146B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 13.3 cm. Width: About 9.2 cm. Shape: Broadly             lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Rounded. Margin: Mostly             entire. Aspect: Flat. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate.             Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower             surface: Pubescent; prominent venation. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Darker than 139A; venation, close to 137A. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 147C. Petiole: Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper surface: Close to 146B. Color, lower surface:             Close to 146C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Terminal inflorescences are             compound corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts             subtending the cyathia; inflorescences uniformly positioned             above the foliar plane.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—Mid-season flowering response; under             natural season conditions, plants typically flower in late             November in Southern California; under artificial long             nyctoperiod/short photoperiod conditions, plants flower             about 8 to 8.5 weeks later.         -   Post-production longevity.—Good post-production longevity;             plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and             flower bract color for about four weeks under interior             conditions; inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 27 cm.         -   Inflorescence height (depth).—About 11 cm.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 18 to 19.             Length, largest bracts: About 14.3 cm. Width, largest             bracts: About 11.2 cm. Shape: Broadly lanceolate to             elliptical. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Rounded. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper surface: Slightly rugose, glabrous. Texture,             lower surface: Veins prominent, glabrous. Aspect: Mostly             horizontal, apices point upright. Venation pattern: Pinnate,             arcuate. Color: Developing or transitional bracts, upper             surface: Ground color, close to 151D; along midvein, close             to 141B; tinted with close to 37A. Developing or             transitional bracts, lower surface: Ground color, close to             154D tinted with close to 29C. Fully expanded bracts, upper             surface: Ground color, close to 29C to 29D; numerous random             speckles and splotches, close to 39A to 39B; color does not             fade with development; central bracts, close to 46B to 46C.             Fully expanded bracts, lower surface: Ground color, close to             4B overlain with tints of close to 39B to 39C; color does             not fade with development. Bract petiole: Length: About             2.8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 145A.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 12 to 15. Length: About             1 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, immature: Close to 144A. Color, mature:             Close to 144A to 144B.         -   Nectaries.—Quantity per cyathium: One or two. Length: About             6 mm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Elongated oval. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 12A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright to outwardly.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About             three to five. Filament length: About 3.5 mm. Filament             color: Close to 37C to 37D. Anther shape: Oval; bi-lobed.             Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to N34A.             Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 9A.             Pistils: Pistil development has not been observed on plants             of the new Poinsettia.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Poinsettia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Poinsettia plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to about     29° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘PER2009’ as illustrated and described. 